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Abigail Mawonde Herald Correspondent
A Harare-based college, CITMA, is failing to issue certificates to 22 students three years after they sat for the City and Guilds International examinations, it has emerged.

This has caused an outcry from both the students and their parents who have since reported the matter to the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development.

Of the 22, three sat for their examinations in 2012, eight in 2014 and 11 in 2013.

“It is deeply saddening that there are institutions taking advantage of those who are out to pursue their academics. CITMA College claims affiliation with international examination boards such as City & Guilds,” said a parent, who identified himself as Mr John Banda.

“One begins to question this affiliation when they do not get both the transcript and certificate for an examination they wrote supposedly under these institutions. Instead of moving on, one is drawn into endless battle to get their qualifications.”

Government has since requested CITMA to furnish it with information on the matter.

In a letter dated October 16, 2015, Quality Assurance and Standards director engineer Sabastian Marume, on behalf of the Secretary for the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Ambassador Machivenyika Mapuranga, demanded information on all the students who did not get their certificates.

“Following formal complaints from the CITMA parents and students, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development is requesting for information on all the candidates who did not receive their results from City and Guilds to date,” reads the letter.

“May you also attach proof of their candidature with City and Guilds and an explanation as to why their results are still pending months after others who sat for the same examination received their results.”

In response to the letter, the college gave various explanations as to why certificates could not be obtained on time.

“We are shocked by allegations that some students have not yet received their City & Guilds results,” the college said.

“We have received and distributed accordingly all results for all students who sat for any City & Guilds examinations and in any case, all results are displayed on the City & Guilds Walled Garden Website for anyone with the relevant passwords to retrieve.

“What we are actually worried about is that some students have not yet received their City & Guilds certificates and we are therefore working round the clock to bring finality to this particular matter.”

In an interview with The Herald, the college’s operations director Mr Godwin Machemedze confirmed the development.

“Yes, there are students who have not received their certificates as yet and we are working on the matter,” he said.

“While we are pursuing the issue, the students can come and get their results printed on paper.

“The results can also be accessed from the City & Guilds Walled Garden website.”